When history is written, the ugly and tedious parts usually get left out. We don’t know who got down in the mud and pushed the boat into the water when George Washington crossed the Delaware. They don’t make movies about all the math that allowed humankind to land on the moon. But behind every historical achievement, there’s always the dirty work. The Warriors’ 100-99 win over the Memphis Grizzlies will not make the cut for the clip show aboutthis unreal season. When the gloriousstoryof this team is finally written, this game will — at best — be a footnote. But the Warriors don’t reach this historical moment without games like Saturday’s win, where their better-late-than-never defensive intensity once again covered up countless mistakes that could have sunk them. The Warriors overcame a 10-point fourth quarter deficit, held Memphis to 21 points on 32% shooting in the quarter, and denied them a field goal in the game’s final 2:23. If nothing else, this game was a good reminder that for all the splashes and fancy passes, the Warriors don’t reach 71 and counting without their gritty defense.

I’d rather not spend too many words on the first 36 minutes of this game. The Memphis Grizzlies outworked the Warriors at nearly every aspect, while the Warriors looked bored, sloppy and complacent. They settled forcontested, long-range threes and bogged down in forced isolation attempts. But given the utterly depleted Grizzlies’ roster and a few brief stretches of coherent basketball from the Warriors (Festus Ezeli looked particularly good), the lead ping-ponged back and forth until the middle of the third quarter. Memphis finally made their run at the end ofthe third quarter — opening up a double-digit lead — against a line-up of Curry/Barbosa/Rush/Iguodala/Green. That odd combination had played a grand total of 24 minutes together this season, with a -9 plus/minus. It didn’t improve on Saturday,finishing -11 in just under 4 minutes. The Warriors found themselves with12 minutes to save their dream of 73 wins.

It’s fourth quarters like this one that remind me what a subtle, tremendous coaching job Steve Kerr does on a nightly basis. Sitting on a game that is ultimately meaningless against a physical and amped-up team like Memphis, Kerr is balancing his players’ desire to keep their record hopes alive with his desire to have a rested and healthy roster for another championship run. Somehow, he hit that balance perfectly — playing his key players just long enough to get the Warriors over the hump, but not a minute longer. Thompson — usually expending the least energy of the big three — played the entire quarter, ensuring that there was at least some consistent offense on the court early in the fourth (he scored his only 4 points of the fourth quarter in the first 3 minutes). Kerr ran Livingston — the reliable backbone of his bench unit — as long as possible (nearly 8 minutes) to buy Curry maximum rest. Shaun bridged the gap between Klay’s early productivity and Steph’s return, hitting 2 big baskets and two free throwsin the quarter’s second 3 minute stretch. Around the halfway mark of the quarter, Marreese Speights checked out and Green and Curry checked back in, signaling the arrival of the death line-up. With the Warriors still facing a 10-point deficit, the line-up looked more like a lifeline.

The Warriors actually deployed two versions of their switch-everything line-up in an effort to save the game. The first one featured Livingston paired with Curry, with Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Green in the frontcourt. Kerr got away with the line-upsince Memphis only had one low-post scoring threat, rendering Barnes’ excellent post defense unnecessary. In just under 2 minutes, the line-up knocked 7 points off the Grizzlies’ lead. The Warriors’ spacing and ball movement improved almost immediately, finally getting both Curry and Iguodala clean looks from three. Barnes checked in for Livingston with four minutes left and the Warriors down by three. With history on the line, Green then essentially willed the Warriors to a win.

On the defensive end, Green pounded away against Randolph in the paint, often in single coverage. Randolph scored twice — once when Green fell trying to draw an offensive foul — but they were Memphis’ only two field goals of the quarter’s final 6 minutes. The Warriors — led by Green — held Memphis to 0-5 shooting and 2 points overall for the game’s final 2:23. After struggling to get stops all night long, the Warriors flipped the switch on their intensity when it mattered most and delivered stop after stop. The final shot was a good example. After they couldn’t be bothered to close out on three-point shooters for much of the night, the Warriors ran three men at Lance Stephenson on the potential game-winning shot (and for the record, I didn’t see a foul).

Green had an equally large impact on the offensive end — where he went 3-3 in his final stretch with 2 offensive rebounds and (crucially) no turnovers. Green’s penetration was masterful, punishing the Grizzlies for their lack of a rim defender even when Curry and Thompson couldn’t get free. His tip-in of the Curry missed lay-up — essentially an unintentional backboard pass — was perfectly timed and supremely difficult. Green ended up scoring 7 of the Warriors’ 10 final baskets (the other was a clutch, cold-off-the-bench three from Barnes) and kept the Warriors’ historical ambitions alive.

After the game, Green mentioned that the win-record is meaningful to him because he wants to be remembered as a winner. While there’s no doubt he’s already cemented that reputation in the minds of Warriors fans, Green has a point. Curry is the League’s MVP, and should win again. The Warriors’ point guard is now the new face of basketball, is rightfully credited with fundamentally changing the game,and is usually at the heart of the Warriors’ most otherworldly runs. No one will forget Stephen Curry. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for All-NBA defensive players, second-round picks, or “heartbeat” guys. They do the dirty work of history, and are far too often forgotten. But without Green’s dirty work, the Warriors would have lost countless games like this one. He provides a stable floor for the Warriors greatness, even if Curry ultimately pushes the ceiling. Without both of them, the Warriors wouldn’t be at 71 wins and counting.

So we can forget this game — sooner rather than later — but we shouldn’t forget why it’s a win instead of another frustrating loss. Draymond Green wins basketball games. All that dirty work may not make for sensationalhighlights, but there are other rewards. When the Warriors’ win total — whatever it ends upbeing — gets etched into history, Green’s picture will be next to it.